(C*)apBook Pro!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 300
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From: London, England
I have no qualms or problems opening up Macs and fixing them. My PBG4 was a refugee from a friend. It arrived with the screen not working. I fixed it, and it stills works today. I replaced hard drives, DC input modules, optical drives, memory and so on on many Macs. Generally I've found them easier to work on that any PC I've come across. Except for the original iMac, which is a right pig to get open!
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
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From: Peripatetic
I bought a new MacBook Pro about 2 months ago. Upgraded the OS to Snow Leopard about a week later.
I am now, occasionally, getting the icon of the HDD in the middle of the screen during boot up. Not every time, and it has always booted up properly having held the power switch to reboot.
Any ideas, hardware, software issue? Just wondering if I should carry on and see if it fails. I have a Time Capsule so I shouldn't lose any data.
I am now, occasionally, getting the icon of the HDD in the middle of the screen during boot up. Not every time, and it has always booted up properly having held the power switch to reboot.
Any ideas, hardware, software issue? Just wondering if I should carry on and see if it fails. I have a Time Capsule so I shouldn't lose any data.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 300
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From: London, England
When installing OS upgrades, it is recommended to use the Disk Utilities app to do a "Repair Disk" and "Repair Permissions". For a clean install you only need to do this after the install, but for an upgrade the recommendation is to do it before and then after.
Boot from the installation disk, and use the Disk Utilities from there, as a Disk Repair cannot be run from the main drive.
That might clear up your problem. I have seen this on older machines before. I upgraded a PBG4 to a 300GB IDE drive. This had the Disk Utilities run on it, but it still did it. I put in down to the fact that it had a larger volume to search for bootable systems than before. I haven't heard any cries of help.
Having a TimeCapsule is good, at least your reasonably safe. I have a TimeCapsule too, great aren't they?
Boot from the installation disk, and use the Disk Utilities from there, as a Disk Repair cannot be run from the main drive.
That might clear up your problem. I have seen this on older machines before. I upgraded a PBG4 to a 300GB IDE drive. This had the Disk Utilities run on it, but it still did it. I put in down to the fact that it had a larger volume to search for bootable systems than before. I haven't heard any cries of help.
Having a TimeCapsule is good, at least your reasonably safe. I have a TimeCapsule too, great aren't they?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
From: UK
Thanks very much for your comments.
I must say, having been a great ambassador of Apple Macs for the past 15 years it is with dismay that all these problems have come at once to my beloved Mac - especially as this was a present and will probably be beyond economic repair.
On the subject of repair, as it seems one or two of you are in the IT business, have you any suggestions on what could have caused this sudden screen failure - it is likely to be the NVIDIA card or motherboard as the internet Blogs suggest?
During the course of the past few weeks the computer has failed to 'wake up' having been put to sleep necessitating a re-boot. No problem there particularly.
However, the last time it was put to sleep the screen didn't wake up at all. I've tried the brightness keys (obvious!) and re-booting from the installation disks but to no avail.
The computer boots as normal, just the screen is dead. As I mentioned before, the hard drive is okay insofar as it works perfectly as an external hard drive with another Mac. I have copied all my data and transferred it to a PC (!).
The Acer I'm using at the moment is fine, but I miss the Mac.
KR
FOK
I must say, having been a great ambassador of Apple Macs for the past 15 years it is with dismay that all these problems have come at once to my beloved Mac - especially as this was a present and will probably be beyond economic repair.
On the subject of repair, as it seems one or two of you are in the IT business, have you any suggestions on what could have caused this sudden screen failure - it is likely to be the NVIDIA card or motherboard as the internet Blogs suggest?
During the course of the past few weeks the computer has failed to 'wake up' having been put to sleep necessitating a re-boot. No problem there particularly.
However, the last time it was put to sleep the screen didn't wake up at all. I've tried the brightness keys (obvious!) and re-booting from the installation disks but to no avail.
The computer boots as normal, just the screen is dead. As I mentioned before, the hard drive is okay insofar as it works perfectly as an external hard drive with another Mac. I have copied all my data and transferred it to a PC (!).
The Acer I'm using at the moment is fine, but I miss the Mac.
KR
FOK
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: London, England
You don't say how old it is, but there are a couple of possibilities. If the backlight has failed, you can usually faintly make out the screen image using a strong light. In which case the wires powering the backlight may have chafed and failed in the hinge. Or the inverter has failed. These items are replaceable, usually, but it can be complex job.
Another cable carries the image data. This also passes through the hinge and may also have chafed and failed. Again usually a replaceable part.
Graphics card failures are not unheard of, there were a spate of laptops (not only Mac I might add) that were fitted with a flawed Nvidia GPU chip, that got so hot they desoldered themselves from the circuit board. This usually requires a logic board replacement. If this is the fault, some people have successfully resurrected machines by masking off everything on the logic board bar the GPU with baking foil, and heating the GPU up with a heat gun to reflow the solder.
The best check here is to attach an external monitor and see if that works. If it does, the GPU overheat problem is not likely to be the cause, and the cable or backlight options might be worth looking into.
Another cable carries the image data. This also passes through the hinge and may also have chafed and failed. Again usually a replaceable part.
Graphics card failures are not unheard of, there were a spate of laptops (not only Mac I might add) that were fitted with a flawed Nvidia GPU chip, that got so hot they desoldered themselves from the circuit board. This usually requires a logic board replacement. If this is the fault, some people have successfully resurrected machines by masking off everything on the logic board bar the GPU with baking foil, and heating the GPU up with a heat gun to reflow the solder.
The best check here is to attach an external monitor and see if that works. If it does, the GPU overheat problem is not likely to be the cause, and the cable or backlight options might be worth looking into.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,663
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From: Earth
it is likely to be the NVIDIA card or motherboard as the internet Blogs suggest?
See here:
MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues
* = (for the non technically minded, that's chipset packaging rather than the cardboard box it arrived in the factory)
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
From: Witnesham, Suffolk
My younger daughter uses a Mac for work (she works mostly from home). She tells me how excellent they are to use, but also how often hers breaks down. They do seem to inspire fervent loyalty despite quality issues. She has two dead "Mac Mini" boxes on the shelf, awaiting her husband's and my attention.
Her backup is my old IBM ThinkPad R31 running XP Pro - probably 7 years old, and still working flawlessly as it has since the day I bought it new. For a while, I wanted it to go on the blink so that I could have a new one. In the end, I bought a T43 anyway and gave her the R31.
Having repaired laptops and desktops for a dozen or more friends (some rather too regularly), I would say Macs seem more reliable than many Windows machines, but still don't compete with ThinkPads - based on a sample of six ThinkPads that I've operated over about the last 20 years.
Her backup is my old IBM ThinkPad R31 running XP Pro - probably 7 years old, and still working flawlessly as it has since the day I bought it new. For a while, I wanted it to go on the blink so that I could have a new one. In the end, I bought a T43 anyway and gave her the R31.
Having repaired laptops and desktops for a dozen or more friends (some rather too regularly), I would say Macs seem more reliable than many Windows machines, but still don't compete with ThinkPads - based on a sample of six ThinkPads that I've operated over about the last 20 years.
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
From: Witnesham, Suffolk
Eh? You make my point!
There's no smell from mine, and I use a mouse with it. Compare: six of them over 20 years and never a fault; daughter's two Macs, both defunct at the moment and my old ThinkPad keeping her working.
Form follows function. If it don't work...
There's no smell from mine, and I use a mouse with it. Compare: six of them over 20 years and never a fault; daughter's two Macs, both defunct at the moment and my old ThinkPad keeping her working.
Form follows function. If it don't work...
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
From: Earth
Eh? You make my point!
six of them over 20 years and never a fault; daughter's two Macs,
I dread to think how many macs I've owned over the last 20 years ... only fault has been a dead hard drive on a G3 iBook, which then made a full recovery I'm pleased to report and was only stopped being used about a year and a half a go by it's then owner (not stopped due to failure I might add !)
I should point out that I'm not biased and have owned and currently own a lot of "PC" kit .... some of which, as you say has proven to be reliable .... but I've also seen my fair share of DoA and other issues !
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
From: Witnesham, Suffolk
Not trying to play tit for tat. The more recent ThinkPads have both the nipple and the little pad to play on. I don't like either, and keep a mouse in the bag with it. A docking station in each house (with a proper keyboard and a full-size mouse) provides plenty of flexibility when at home.
It reminds me of a comment I heard about Jaguar cars, many years ago: "It's a wonderful driving experience, and when they break down - which they frequently do - the Customer Service is excellent. I'd never have a different brand."
It reminds me of a comment I heard about Jaguar cars, many years ago: "It's a wonderful driving experience, and when they break down - which they frequently do - the Customer Service is excellent. I'd never have a different brand."
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Orstralia
Or the advice given to the frustrated Ferrari owner, who drove his new car all the way from Britain to Maranello to complain to S. Ferrari in person about the leaks, electrical faults and things that had fallen off the vehicle.
Il Commendatore himself met the owner at the factory, looked at the car and said:
'Sir, for the money, you are fortunate to get the engine!'
Il Commendatore himself met the owner at the factory, looked at the car and said:
'Sir, for the money, you are fortunate to get the engine!'
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 69
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From: Surreal
...and this gem I heard many moons ago about Rolls Royce :
A fellow from England was making a journey through Africa (north to south) in his newly purchased RR when it broke down. He contacted the agents and the very next day a couple of techs arrived and repaired it.
Upon his return home he went to the agent and complimented him on his service and the solving of the problem.
The agent replied : "What problem ? "
A fellow from England was making a journey through Africa (north to south) in his newly purchased RR when it broke down. He contacted the agents and the very next day a couple of techs arrived and repaired it.
Upon his return home he went to the agent and complimented him on his service and the solving of the problem.
The agent replied : "What problem ? "
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
From: UK
Once again, thanks for your comments.
Just to confirm, the MacBook Pro was purchased in August 2007, so is slightly over 2 years old.
It was interesting to read the comments about the possibility of chafed wires.
I had wondered if it was a progessive failure due to dirt or failure of a wire or contact - particularly as the symptom of the Mac not waking up has been present for a few weeks. It may just be coincidence that a component has failed OR it could indeed be the chafed wire. The MacBook has been turned on and off regularly and the screeen opened and shut many times - the computer being used on a daily basis as a 'laptop' rather than a 'desktop'.
I'll try and connect the machine to an external monitor before I go any further, as you suggest, and that should at least isolate one problem (Let's hope the monitor works?!).
Still on the car theme (well nearly) - a training captain whom I met a few years ago complained that he was experiencing vibration on his newly purchased motorbike. He wrote to the supplier and bitterly complained that he expected more from the bike and that this fault was unacceptable - he added that the vibration only occurred above 150mph!
KR
FOK
Just to confirm, the MacBook Pro was purchased in August 2007, so is slightly over 2 years old.
It was interesting to read the comments about the possibility of chafed wires.
I had wondered if it was a progessive failure due to dirt or failure of a wire or contact - particularly as the symptom of the Mac not waking up has been present for a few weeks. It may just be coincidence that a component has failed OR it could indeed be the chafed wire. The MacBook has been turned on and off regularly and the screeen opened and shut many times - the computer being used on a daily basis as a 'laptop' rather than a 'desktop'.
I'll try and connect the machine to an external monitor before I go any further, as you suggest, and that should at least isolate one problem (Let's hope the monitor works?!).
Still on the car theme (well nearly) - a training captain whom I met a few years ago complained that he was experiencing vibration on his newly purchased motorbike. He wrote to the supplier and bitterly complained that he expected more from the bike and that this fault was unacceptable - he added that the vibration only occurred above 150mph!
KR
FOK
Last edited by FlyingOfficerKite; 23rd October 2009 at 16:03.
